12 Signs of Anxiety That Often Go Unnoticed

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12 Signs of Anxiety That Often Go Unnoticed

When you think of anxiety, usually only the obvious symptoms like sweating, shaking, and worrying come to mind. And while these are very real, common effects of anxiety that many people deal with daily, there are less common symptoms that you may not be aware of. That’s why it’s important to listen to your body. Paying attention to how you feel, what you do, and how you interact with others is a good indicator of your mental health. If you’ve been feeling a bit off lately and just can’t seem to put your finger on what it is, anxiety could be the cause. So, here are twelve signs of anxiety that often go unnoticed:

Number 1 - Jaw Pain If you tend to wake up to jaw pain or a toothache with no real cause in sight, it could be anxiety. Anxiety can cause you to grind your teeth or clench your jaw, both at night and during the day, and you might not even realize that you’re doing it! This is called bruxism, and it can lead to morning headaches, toothaches, and a sore jaw.

Number 2 - Scattered Thinking If you frequently feel scatterbrained or distracted, it might be because anxious thoughts are consuming you - making it impossible to be in the present. Following along with a conversation or storing any new information can feel like a struggle. So, if you find yourself feeling disengaged or drifting from the conversation, check in with yourself. Are you too busy worrying and focusing on other things instead of what’s going on around you? If the answer is yes, you could be suffering from anxiety.

Number 3 - Cold Feet You may hear the phrase “Getting cold feet” when someone feels anxious or uncertain about a new venture - like starting a relationship or a new job. There are many medical reasons why cold feet and cold hands can happen, but anxiety is often a hidden cause. As you may already know, the body reacts to stress by going into fight or flight mode. And as blood rushes to the central organs, it tends to leave your hands and feet cold.

Number 4 - Irritability When you are anxious, your body and brain can also leave you feeling on edge and you easily become irritable. Little things can frustrate you, people may annoy you, and minor inconveniences become major upsets. Unexplained irritability like this is usually the result of anxiety.

Number 5 - Intrusive Thoughts Everyone daydreams every now and then, usually about something good, but someone struggling with anxiety may imagine the opposite. You may have vivid, intrusive thoughts about bad things happening to you or your loved ones, imagining worst-case scenarios and getting caught up in these nightmarish thoughts to the extreme. Ruminating on the possibilities of a situation is healthy, but not in excess. Doing so too often can make it hard to focus on the present and cause unnecessary stress.

Number 6 - Overspending There are many reasons you may end up spending more than you’d like when shopping, anxiety being one of them, since it affects the brain’s ability to make calm, calculated decisions. You may have a hard time saying no, even if you know you should, and end up buying things you don’t really need. Now, treating yourself here and there doesn’t mean you have anxiety, but excessive shopping, accompanied by stress and other symptoms, may be something to consider.

Number 7 - Hoarding Anxiety can show up as having a “scarcity mentality,” causing you to believe that you will never have enough stuff in your life and this can lead to hoarding behaviors. Stocking up for future disasters isn’t a bad thing all on its own but having a basement full of food you’ll never be able to eat, or years’ worth of toilet paper is definitely not healthy. You may also have a hard time throwing things away, or you hold onto stuff “just in case.” That said, not every person with anxiety feels the need to hoard, but most hoarders do suffer from anxiety.

Number 8 - Impulsivity Impulsivity isn’t limited to shopping; it can make you want to overhaul your entire life on a whim. For instance, you may suddenly decide to quit your job, move to another country, or end a significant relationship. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a change of scenery or a new job, as long as a lot of thought and planning goes behind these decisions first. Failing to do so could mean you’re dealing with anxiety.

Number 9 - Crying Easily Crying is often associated with sadness and depression. But anxiety can also lead to crying, not because you’re sad, but rather because you feel overwhelmed. It can happen anytime, when something even slightly stressful happens, or just during a normal part of your day. If you’re so overwhelmed that you find yourself crying easily, it’s a definite sign that you should reach out for help. There’s no reason you should have to feel so bad all the time or let it take over your life.

Number 10 - Indecisiveness When it comes to decision-making, people with anxiety have a tendency to make them too quickly, or they have trouble making them at all. It takes cognitive energy to make decisions, and anxiety saps this energy by using it up on worrying and overthinking, making it much more difficult to make decisions, big or small. Something as simple as deciding what you want for lunch can be a struggle, never mind major decisions like figuring out what job offer to accept, which is already stressful enough to begin with.

Number 11 - Disorganization Experiencing disorganization is similar to indecision, though it’s a much lesser-known symptom. Anxiety makes it hard for your brain to deal with planning and organization. Putting tasks in order becomes a much bigger struggle than it should be. This results in a state of general disorganization, which can significantly impact many different parts of your life. You may end up missing meetings, running late for work, having a messy living space, or even forgetting to pay bills!

Number 12 - Sleep Problems Anxiety and sleeping problems tend to go hand-in-hand, though many people don’t make the connection. Feeling tense and having worrying thoughts can make it really challenging to get enough shut-eye. So if you find that you’re struggling to turn your brain off when it’s time to lay down, or you keep waking up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep, anxiety could be the cause. While these signs may not spring to mind when picturing anxiety, they are all symptoms of it, and many people experience them.

If one or more of these sound familiar, you shouldn’t hesitate to ask questions, get information, or reach out for help. These symptoms can be managed and helped, so if you think you could be suffering from anxiety, talk to a professional to see how you can go about it. To learn more about this topic, check out a video we made about things that trigger anxiety. You can find the link in the description below. What do you think? Were you surprised by these symptoms of anxiety that often go unnoticed? Have you experienced any of them? Let us know in the comments section.